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ORANGUTAN FOUNDATION INTERNATIONAL

 

Volunteer Opportunities

OFI Volunteer/Study Program

Orangutan Foundation International has volunteer opportunities available for active individuals who want to get their hands dirty and help save one of the earth's most bio-diverse areas.
The Basics: In order to participate in our Volunteer Program:
• You must be a member of the Orangutan Foundation International
• You must be 18 years of age or above
• You must be in good physical condition and be prepared for hands-on manual work in a hot, steamy, equatorial environment that may occasionally have buzzing and biting insects and other inconveniences as well as the occasional danger [such as the rare poisonous snake].
• Volunteers should also be cognizant that Borneo's endemic diseases consist of such tropical diseases as malaria, dengue, hepatitis, etc.
• Volunteers are responsible for their own vaccinations and should bring anti-malarial prophylactics and medications as well as medicines for common conditions such as diarrhea.
• Volunteers do not need experience in the field, just a willingness to help, a sincere interest in forest conservation and orangutan survival, and a passion for the work OFI does.
• Volunteers are expected to work approximately 8 hours per day with one day of rest on Sunday. This should not be seen as a "holiday."
• Living conditions are very basic, remote, and isolated. There is no running hot water. Toilet and shower facilities will be very rudimentary.
• You will stay with your team in a building near the Care Center which is the property of OFI. There will be three hot meals per day cooked by a local staff member. All meals will consist of rice and vegetables, possibly supplemented by eggs, chicken, or fish. There will be no red meat in keeping with local practice.
• The cost of taking part in the program is $975.00 to be paid upon acceptance of volunteer's application.
This program payment includes:
All accommodation, food, and materials for the duration of the program as well as travel to and from the program site from the town airport.

 

This program payment does not include: snacks, postage, laundry, or activities outside the volunteer experience.
This program payment also does not include international and internal travel to the town airport. You must purchase your flight tickets to and from the closest airport which is located near the town of Pangkalan Bun, Kalimantan Tengah [Central Borneo, Indonesia]. You will also want to purchase travel insurance and bring extra money for any personal spending you may want to do while there. Also, medical travel insurance and evacuation insurance is a good idea.
• The volunteer program will take place at sites in Kalimantan Tengah (Central Indonesian Borneo) in the general vicinity of Pangkalan Bun.
• Volunteer projects will take place at one of the following sites: the Orangutan Care Center and Quarantine (OCCQ), in the Dayak village of Pasir Panjang, Camp Leakey, Park Guard Posts, plant nursery facilities, as well as other sites to be determined.
• Each volunteer team runs for a set period of approximately 20 days.

Dates for 2010 are:
TEAM 1 June 7 to June 26
TEAM 2 July 23 to August 10
TEAM 3 August 11 to August 30
• Members of each team are required to leave the program site the day their program ends.
• Accepted volunteers will receive a 2010 Volunteer Program Manual before they go into the field.
A Volunteer's Typical Daily Schedule:
7:30am Breakfast
8:00am Work Begins
12:00pm Lunch break
1:00pm Work
5:00pm Work ends, time to bathe
7:00pm Dinner
7:30pm Discussion of day's events and discussion of next day's work
9:00pm Bed (at volunteer's discretion)
*There will be opportunities to visit Camp Leakey and OFI's Orangutan Care Center and Quarantine during the 3 week program.
The teams will go into town for shopping twice during their program, once on their second day, and once in the middle of the trip. Any other excursions into P. Bun OFI will help organize but will not pay for.
The teams get one full day off, one half day off and a rolling day off that goes between the members. At the end of the work period the teams visit Camp Leakey for 2 to 3 days.

 

 

 

HOW TO APPLY:
Fill out online application form on the OFI website or download the form as a pdf file. Email or mail us your resume and cover letter:
SEND TO:
Email: OFIOFFICE@GMAIL.COM
Mail:
OFI
Attn: Volunteer Coordinator; Sarah
824 S. Wellesley Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90049
Fax: 310.820.4962
Feel free to call Sarah at 310.820.4906 with questions/concerns!
You then will receive an email once we have received your application/resume to set up a phone interview with you.
After the phone interview, if accepted, you will receive a letter of acceptance and you will need to pay the full non-refundable fee of $975.00 to maintain your space on the team.
Once you have been accepted and have paid your fee, you will receive a Volunteer Program Manual. This will include emergency information relating to Borneo, Indonesia; a What To Bring list; and info on the program and local community.
If you are interested in applying for the 2010 program, please send your cover letter and resume along with the application form on our website.
All applications will be acknowledged. Once applications, cover letters, and resumes are received, phone interviews will be conducted with chosen applicants.

 

 

There will also be programs running in 2011, to be announced later in 2010.

 

 

Nature Travel Specialists can assist with travel arrangements to Pangkalan Bun, and add to your Borneo stay with other destinations in Indonesia. Please email or call 1 877 285 1170 for more information.

 

 

 

All photos taken in Tanjung Puting © Andrew Haffenden